Prior art surface mount lamps have included a filament axially mounted in an elongated cylindrical envelope with leads extending from the ends of the envelope. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a prior art lamp assembly 11 which includes a filament 12 enclosed in a cylindrical envelope 13 with beads 14 receiving and supporting the filament leads 16 and 17, and completing the evacuated envelope. The leads can be directly secured to an associated circuit to mount the lamp to the surface. The leads are fragile and must be manipulated to make contact with the associated circuit.
In order to provide a surface mount that spaces the lamp from the mounting surface and to facilitate mounting of the lamp by automatic equipment there have been provided cupshaped end caps 18 which receive the end of the envelope and to which the leads are affixed. An insulating material is injected in the end caps and supports the lamp in the end caps. The insulating material used has generally been rigid, hard material whereby any mechanical shock to the board on which the lamp is mounted or the end cap is transmitted to the lamp and its fragile filament or the material has been a resilient material which does not adhere to the metal end cap and glass and therefore, does not form a good bond between the glass, metal end cap and lead. Problems have also been encountered in filling the space between the glass envelope and the end cap to securely mount the lamp because low viscosity curable compounds have been used, or if high viscosity compounds are used, they fail to fill the space between the glass and end cap.